Cliché Love
by TwistedKitsune
Summary: Their relationship was unexpected, and it certainly wasn't sweet and dreamlike. No, it was filled with ups and downs, hurt and jealousy. Struggling to make it work. And it definitely wasn't a picture perfect romance in the least.
1. Drama

This is a **Sasuke and Hinata story** because I've been writing too many yaoi pairings (well, to me I am, anyways). I **bold** important parts of my Author's Notes (which you can see is a lot for this chapter, but it's the first so I have a lot to say).

I guess it _kind of_ counts as sort of a drabble, but not really. **The chapters don't flow into a connected story, but all the chapters kind of go together, if that makes any sense.**

Each chapter is inspired by a **cliché, a quote, or a song lyric excerpt (found at the start of each chapter) and the chapter genre will be the chapter title.**

**Warnings:** Naruto-bashing (Uh…well don't kill me, but he's not always my favorite character.) Akatsuki and Orochimaru are not in the story (like, they were never created), so it's an AU story. Slight Sakura/Ino-bashing, I think.

* * *

Chapter 1—Drama—

_Love makes time pass; time makes love pass. —Euripedes_

* * *

They never thought it would happen like this.

She always thought that she would end up with Naruto. They would have two children who would be raised to follow their dreams (she would _never_ force them like she was forced to train). Then she would end up living a quiet, comfortable life in a nice house somewhere in Konoha.

Kids, a peaceful future; that's what she had been expecting. She _loved_ Naruto, after all.

* * *

He thought—well, he never really thought much about it. He just took it as a fact that he would settle with some strong kunoichi who could give him many children, so he could restart the Uchiha clan. That girl never crossed his mind. In fact, as annoying as Sakura was, he had been considering her. Somewhere deep in him, he sort of liked her a bit—mostly, as a friend when she wasn't fawning over him, but actually being a kunoichi. Or maybe that Ino person; she was pretty, though just a regular kunoichi.

* * *

As the saying goes, time makes love pass. And it certainly applied to her. Before, when she felt great warmth and happiness with Naruto, she now felt nothing. The happiness was there; she still considered Naruto a great friend, but she was starting to see his faults.

One could only like a person so much. And it took her another conversation over _ramen_ while he talked about Sakura to make her realize she _never had a chance_. He had always been set on Sakura. And knowing him, he would never stop.

After this realization struck her, she started seeing things that made her wonder why she ever liked him.

She had always told herself that his courage and his 'never giving up' attitude were amazing. But…that was more of just admiration, not love.

And she started noticing. He never _ate_ the ramen. He was actually gulping it down—practically inhaling it at that speed. And he ate _so much_! Up to thirteen bowls in one sitting, and who knew _how many_ times he went there a day.

Also, he was so incredibly dense. Even she knew that the way she acted around him made it painfully obvious that she liked him (you know, after she realized she didn't like him all that much and looked over her actions) and yet he never showed any reaction.

His attitude completely changed in battle, and yet in normal life, he was just—in a word, obnoxious. She could be walking down the street and suddenly hear him _yelling_ her name at the top of her lungs. She didn't want to ignore him (he had had enough of that when he was a little kid) but she didn't want to encourage him either. So she would just give a weak little wave. Which he would return by waving nearly his _whole_ arm.

It was—to be blunt—embarrassing. Every time that happened, if the Hyuuga Elders saw, they would give her disapproving glares. As if he was _too low_ for someone of her stature to communicate with him. She ignored him, but each glare made her wilt a bit.

She started thinking; maybe, just _maybe_ she shouldn't be talking to him so much.

But she squashed that thought instantly. She couldn't possibly do something as cruel as that.

* * *

He was with Sakura and Ino. Possible future wives (he shuddered at that thought just slightly; he still wasn't very ready).

Itachi wasn't able to produce children. Partly because he was dating Deidara, who, despite _looking_ girly, was definitely not a girl. **(1)** And partly because he just wasn't able to. He forgot why exactly; it was some medical condition as far as he remembered.

So it was all left to him. If he didn't do it there would be no Uchiha's left after Itachi and he died.

Between Sakura and Ino, he couldn't choose. Not that he liked them both _a lot_, he just liked them the equal amount (which was actually, pretty much nothing).

They were both extremely excited. On the way to the restaurant (he figured; half the time he would just be eating instead of having to talk to them) they were chattering excitedly. More than once he heard his name spoken. He was at a loss; didn't they find it weird that _two_ girls were going on a date with _one_ guy? Surely they knew he would only choose one of them.

The sat down at one of the tables in the back. He felt it was more comfortable without people being able to look at you that much. A nice restaurant; barbeque, Ino suggested it. He knew that her team came here often.

* * *

Kiba and Shino invited her to go out for lunch. She gladly agreed. They hadn't been spending that much time together, since they could take single missions. And she dearly missed little Akamaru (who really wasn't so _little_ anymore). Of course she missed her teammates too.

They decided on barbeque. That place was the best. They sat down at a table near the front and ordered some food. Kiba started off the conversation by bragging about his missions loudly, while Shino calmly explained how things actually happened softly to her, causing her to giggle quietly.

Her hand was under the table, stroking Akamaru's fur. (He fit underneath; the table was quite large. Except for the fact that his tail stuck out, it was pretty unnoticeable.)

* * *

His eyes strayed around the room as the two girls talked to him about something he didn't understand. He just gave a 'hn' every now and then, which made them think he was listening.

_Hinata_.

He jerked back in surprise, hitting the table with his knee.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" Sakura asked, concerned. His eyes flicked to her.

"Hn? Oh, yeah. It was nothing."

"Are you sure?" Her voice was nothing like Hinata's; he had heard Hinata's voice a few times before. Sure, Sakura's voice was smooth, but Hinata's had this quality that calmed—

He mentally hit himself on the head. What was he doing, comparing those two? No way would he _ever_ be with the Hyuuga heiress. She liked Naruto, didn't she? That caused him to smirk just slightly. Since when did something like _that_ stop him from getting what he wanted?

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you know? We should do this more often. It's really fun, ne?" Ino gushed.

"Hn, yeah. Why not?" he answered absently. Was that a tail sticking out from under their table? How big had that dog thing grown?

* * *

She felt like—no, she _knew_ someone was staring at her. Her eyes slowly drifted around, trying to be as discreet as possible. Her eyes locked on black for a split second, and then she looked away. She managed to catch a hint of a smirk, though.

"Ah, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun…I'm going to use the restroom, okay? I'll be right back." They had been friends for years, so she never stuttered around them. They nodded, and she stood up.

The bathroom was located at the back, near the area where Sasuke was sitting (actually, you had to get to their table, walk straight for a few steps, then turn right down a hall, but it was still pretty near).

She didn't go in though, instead, she stopped next to their table.

"A-ano, Uchiha-san, is there something y-you needed?" She forced herself to control her stutter, and it mostly worked.

He smirked, and she felt like frowning.

* * *

Captivating. Her eyes were captivating. And he was so very surprised when she same over to talk to him.

"A-ano, Uchiha-san, is there something y-you needed?"

He wondered how to word his question without sounding rude (since when did he care about sounding rude?) He smirked to stall for a few seconds to think.

"You still like Naruto?" She blushed horribly and then frowned.

"I do not think that is any of your business," she snapped uncharacteristically, her sentence stutter-free as she turned down the long hallway towards the bathroom.

He smirked. Yes, this girl would be perfect.

* * *

During their whole exchange, neither of them noticed Sakura and Ino glaring at them.

* * *

She splashed her face with cold water, and then carefully dried off.

'_Who does he think he is, asking something personal like that?'_ she thought in annoyance. Then she paused in surprise. She _never_ got annoyed. What…? Why could one person cause her to act so differently?

It felt kind of exhilarating, actually. She couldn't explain it well, but something about him made her feel _different_. Like nothing she had ever felt before.

'_Do I like him?_'She thought about it. And the more she thought the more perfect he seemed.

An Uchiha—the Hyuuga elders would be supporting, unlike with Naruto.

He was good-looking—this provided by the fact that he was pursued by nearly every girl in Konoha.

He was interesting—she didn't know whether in a good way or bad; only that he interested her.

He didn't have a flaw—everything he did seemed to be perfect. In school he had had perfect grades and been at the top of the class.

Opposite of Naruto—Okay, that comparison was a bit mean. But, he didn't eat like Naruto; he ate with grace. He didn't talk like Naruto; rather, he preferred not to talk at all. His personality wasn't like Naruto; he was more arrogant than obnoxious actually. She was sure that a person could grow out of a superiority complex if someone helped them, though. Neji had, after all. He was slowly changing for the better after that one single match.

He was, statistically speaking, her perfect match.

* * *

_But everything and anything 'perfect' will always have a hidden flaw—or more._

* * *

When she exited the bathroom, she found him standing right there, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Sasuke-san!" Her hand rested lightly on her chest in an attempt to calm her heart. "P-please don't do that!"

He smiled. She froze in surprise. _Everyone_ knew he never smiled at anyone. What was he planning?

"Do I scare you?"

"What?" That question caught her by surprise. "Why would I b-be scared?" He leaned uncomfortably close to her. (Which, really, was still a few steps away, but it was too close for her to be with a stranger.)

"Well, there's that stutter. I know that when you're comfortable with people, you don't stutter."

Her pale eyes narrowed slightly.

"A-and why would you know s-something like that?"

"I'm not stalking you, if that's what you're suggesting," he said, looking away carefreely. She felt slightly hurt for some reason, and her mouth moved faster than her mind.

"What? I'm not _good_ enough for the _great Uchiha_?" she said sarcastically. It caught both of them off guard. She recovered faster and walked off gracefully back to her table.

He smirked. _Very interesting._

* * *

"Hinata, what took you so long?" Kiba asked.

"Oh, I just saw some people I knew," she replied quietly. They resumed their talk, this time with Hinata talking about her missions and the two of them asking questions. The rest of the day passed uneventfully—besides the pair of eyes watching her.

* * *

"Sasuke? Why did you go off with her?" Sakura asked. He shrugged.

"She's interesting." The two girls felt a sting in the heart.

'_I'm the one that's going to end up with Sasuke-kun_,' they thought at the same time.

* * *

Uh. Okay. They are kind of OoC, but I tried to keep it as in character as possible. And I think that someone like Hinata would end up getting annoyed at someone like Sasuke. It's the start of a shaky relationship. Uh oh!

I was trying to write more than usual, but still only came up with this much. It's a start, right?

**(1)** I didn't know who to pair with Itachi, so I brought in Deidara, since there was never an Akatsuki it's okay to use. Itachi is there because I might need him later on. Not sure yet.

If you have any **clichés, quotes (include the person who said it), or song (just put the title and band/singer name) leave it in a review.** If I get an inspiration from one of them, I'll gladly **credit you**.

**This is updated at random. When I find something that makes me think of a short story, then I'll post. **And only if the idea is longer than…say, four pages.


	2. Hurt, Comfort, Romance

This chapter is for **Kawaii Kabu** for being the **first reviewer**. I even used the **quote** you gave me, see? (Or is that a cliché?) Though at first I was going to use Naruto, but nah. Kiba deserves someone more.

I honestly didn't expect a review considering it was just a random drabble-ish thing. So thank you!

I got a bunch of favorites/story alerts, though, so at least you guys liked it enough to look for the next chapter.

**Warning:** Hope you're okay with KibaIno. (Barely any, anyways.) Also, Kiba/Hinata awkwardness.

_Flashbacks in italics and underlined_

_Stressed words italicized_

* * *

Chapter 2 —Hurt/Comfort/Romance—

_There is nothing worse in the world than loving someone who used to love you—Anon_

* * *

Not many people knew—hell, not even Shino knew, but Hinata had once _very long ago_ liked Kiba (as in more than just a friend), and managed to find enough confidence to tell him so.

He had laughed and shrugged it off. They weren't really that good of friends. They just started talking, after all.

It had ruined the small bit of her confidence that was left, though. Something Kiba never forgave himself for.

But how was he to know? He had only been—what, thirteen, fourteen? He had been more obsessed with training than thinking about girls, especially not the 'weird' Hyuuga.

It took him a whole year before he realized what he had done. He wasn't exactly the smartest person, so he couldn't quite understand why Hinata suddenly stopped talking to him.

It took confronting her and pressuring her to talk for him to remember.

"_Hina—Hinata!" It was a bit troublesome to try to catch her. She could be very evasive and sly when she wanted to. And who knew she was _this_ fast?_

_He managed to corner her (with a huge stroke of luck)._

"_Ki—Inuzuka-san," she said politely, changing her words quickly after a pause._

"_Inuzuka?" He cocked his head in a confused manner. "Why don't you just call me Kiba like you used to do?" She blushed horribly._

"_A-ano, Inu—Kiba," she corrected herself hastily, "Is there s-something y-you wanted t-to ask m-me?"_

_He frowned._

"_Well, yeah, of course! How come you haven't been talking to me at all for the whole year?"_

"_I-I-I—" she stuttered nervously. "Ano, I mean…I j-just thought t-that you didn't w-want me to b-be around y-you."_

"_What? Wait, what are you talking about?"_

"_W-well you laughed w-when I told you I," she paused there, blushing and seeming to try to figure out whether to continue. "When I told you I…liked…you," she managed to say._

_He scratched his cheek, embarrassed._

"_But I didn't really mean that I didn't want to be friends. I mean, you're a nice person, although sometimes I don't really get you…"_

"_O-oh, sorry," she said, bowing slightly out of habit._

"_W-what? No, you don't have to apologize!" he cried out, even more embarrassed. He realized that the way he had phrased it had caused it to sound sort of like an insult, though he truly meant it in a good way. "I meant that you're different; you're interesting." Her eyes slanted slightly, trying to analyze his words._

"_U-uh…thank you?" she replied in confusion. Awkwardness surrounded the two as they tried to figure out what to do next. "A-ano, I have to go, K-kiba. I'll see y-you in school, o-okay?" He grunted, and she gave a dainty wave before stepping away towards her house._

They had talked a lot after that. Well, mostly he talked while she listened. But he found it fun, and every time he was near her he would feel really happy and content—kind of like with Akamaru,

So he came to the conclusion that he liked her.

* * *

One of the worst days of his life was when he told her how he felt about her.

"_Hinata? I…need to tell you something," he said nervously. His hand ran through his shaggy brown hair._

"_Ah, yes, Kiba?" They had been friends for a while and she was quite comfortable with him._

"_IthinkIlikeyou," he blurted. It took a few seconds, but she finally understood and stared at him with wide eyes, a large blush on her cheeks._

_There was a long silence._

"_Why didn't y-you say that when I told you so long ago?" He scratched his cheek, something he did when he was embarrassed or nervous._

"_I…didn't like you like that then." She drew her arms around her body, tightening slightly as if to keep herself warm—or to keep a barrier between them._

"_I'm sorry Kiba, I can't…"_

_His face fell._

"_Sorry Kiba. I, uh, have to go now."_

_She turned and walked away._

They didn't speak for a month after that. Each day that passed, he would look at her hopefully, but she would never once look his way.

It hurt. He could only imagine how she felt when he _laughed_ at her confession. He was _so_ stupid!

What's worse was that he just _couldn't_ bring himself to hate her. There was nothing bad about her. So it was all his fault, he could only think.

* * *

When they finally started talking again, he remembered feeling really relieved. She was giving him another chance at being friends. Shino joined them also. Being a team and all, it was a good idea to bond.

Then they found out that Hinata liked Naruto. (It was quite obvious by the huge blush and increased stuttering when she was around him.)

He felt like his heart had been torn in half. She wouldn't give him a chance, but she liked that idiot of a blond?

So his anger shifted to Naruto.

In class, he had taken to insulting and cracking jokes about him.

Only, that backfired because she would always quietly chastise him about making fun of people, especially Naruto, with his '_hard life'_ and all. (He always wrinkled his nose in anger when Naruto was brought up.)

He put up with everything though, because he still really liked her and hoped that she would one day give him a second chance.

(Shino thought that since it was so obvious that she liked Naruto, Kiba was just really stubborn.)

He tried to do his best though; he acted like a big brother to her.

They grew close, but he knew that they would never be more than that. Her happiness caused him happiness, and he thought that was the best thing there was.

Seeing her practically glow when she told them about how Neji treated her more kindly after the exams made his heart swell with pride. Her confidence was slowly building back up.

Then the day she told him that she didn't like Naruto anymore.

Both he and Shino were shocked. They always thought that they would be together. That she would never stop loving him, considering how she acted.

She just shrugged and said her in quiet way that they were better off as just being friends.

He asked her if there was someone else she liked instead, that made her realize that she didn't like Naruto the same way as before.

She just shrugged and looked away.

He didn't think she was aware of the faint blush on her cheeks though. He wisely didn't mention anything. If she didn't want to say anything, he wouldn't pressure her. Last time he did that, she very nearly burst into tears.

He couldn't hurt his 'little sister' like that.

* * *

He was angry.

Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke. It was all his fault.

He could practically _feel_ Sasuke's hungry eyes watching Hinata. He growled under his breath. If that _bastard_ dared to touch Hinata, he would kill him.

She didn't seem like she knew he was watching her.

Once in a while, though, he would see her look off into a direction for a few minutes before resuming whatever she had been doing.

* * *

He noticed a pattern.

She would disappear off to somewhere for exactly ten minutes at random times of the day. And she always came back smelling faintly of _him_.

Of course, he had no proof. She could have just been somewhere near where he was, or he could have been stalking her.

Highly unlikely though.

It annoyed him. He was nowhere near good enough for her. He was stained with dark and evil while she was more pure and innocent than anything on earth.

He knew his anger was illogical; Sasuke might be the one person she wanted. Whenever he saw Sasuke, though, it flared up anyways.

Soon she took to seeing him in public, uncaring of wandering eyes.

He thought he saw Sasuke grab her hand. He saw red.

Then he slumped down. He couldn't protect her from everything. If she wanted to be with Sasuke, who was he to stop her?

Only her family had that decision, and everyone knew that Hiashi was encouraging it to make the Hyuuga clan more powerful (imagine; Uchiha-Hyuuga babies, two of the strongest clans in Konoha).

* * *

There they were again. Oddly, he was surrounded by Sakura and Ino. Well, that wasn't odd in itself,; the odd part was that he made no move to shove them away.

Hinata and Sasuke were engaged in some kind of conversation. None of them were really talking, but it did look like they were conversing. It didn't make much sense unless you saw them.

He sighed and forced himself to walk away. No need to cause a scene that would probably make _someone_ angry.

He felt a tug on his jacket and turned around. He found himself face to face with Ino. Her blue eyes stared at him with worry.

"Kiba, are you okay?" She seemed to struggle a bit with her words. He understood; she wasn't really one to care about others. So it was a bit of a shock for both of them.

"Uh, yeah. I just…" He frowned. "Truthfully? I don't like Sasuke being with Hinata."

"Ohh…"

They stood there in an oddly comfortable silence. Ino's hand rested lightly on his arm as they watched Sasuke and Hinata.

"Uh, you know—I don't think Sakura likes Hinata all that much," Ino whispered, watching her best friend and former rival. She had decided to give up on Sasuke after seeing him actually talk to Hinata. Unlike Sakura, who still felt that they belonged together and no one could get in their way.

"Yeah, I couldn't tell with all the glaring she's been doing."

Ino yanked away from him. After a split second of consideration, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face. Then she leaned over and gave him a loose hug.

"Ow."

"You need to learn to be nice to girls," she said with a grin, tilting her head and causing her ponytail to swing to the side. She swore she heard him mutter something about her being bipolar, so she gave him another slap for good measure.

* * *

Was **Kiba in character**? All I read was that he was kind of like Naruto in personality.

**Review? Clichés, quotes (include the person who said it), or song lyrics (include the band or singer name) you want to suggest?**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Semi-spoiler for story:** Pairings I have in mind: ShikaTem, NaruSaku (uh...I dislike this pairing though), NejiGaa (Okay, it's just in me to have _some form_ of yaoi; and it's not certain either), ShinoTen (it's possible!), ...


	3. Drama, Angst

I am extremely happy with this chapter. I think I did pretty well. And I used two *very good* songs.

I can't take the stuttering (writing it all)…so I eliminated it. It should make it easier for you to read anyways.

During the training, there's the phrase 'jyuukan stance' and 'tenketsu points'. I'm not sure if it's right, but I used it anyways. (I put this up here because I didn't want to ruin the ending with this. I like the way it ends, and putting this would ruin it.)

* * *

Chapter 3 —Drama/Angst—

And sometimes I think that I'm not any good at all  
And sometimes I wonder why, why I'm even here at all  
But then you assure me

I'm a little more than useless  
And I never knew I knew this  
Was gonna the day, gonna be the day  
That I would do something right  
Do something right for once

"More Than Useless" by Reliant K [_lyric order changed_]

* * *

"Get up."

She was training with her father, and losing horribly. Add in all the insults thrown at her, and she felt depressed. Why wasn't she good enough for him? She tried her hardest and did everything she could to be a model Hyuuga, but it just _wasn't_ in her to be like them.

She positioned herself back to the jyuuken stance quickly. And just in time, too, because he attacked her mercilessly. Each block, each dodge felt like a huge strain to her already exhausted body. They had been training for hours. And they would probably continue for hours, until he deemed her tired out enough to rest. Meaning at the brink of passing out. And he probably wouldn't let up for anything.

A particularly hard blow sent her tumbling to the ground. She was lucky he wasn't trying to block her tenketsu points or she would be in a lot of pain. She took a deep breath and struggled to get back on her feet.

He stared at her with a bored yet disgusted expression in his eyes, which was one of the few expressions he actually showed. The rest of his face was blank.

He struck again and again, and she just managed to keep up. She felt as if her energy was draining quickly with every passing second. Like she could barely even move without feeling tired.

She collapsed to the ground, feeling ashamed. But that feeling was overtaken by the need to just sleep—or pass out, whichever came first.

He scoffed loudly.

"That's it?"

She forced herself to stand back up, her lips curling with anger she never knew she possessed. Her previous exhaustion seemed to have disappeared.

This time, she initiated the first blow.

And it seemed to catch him off guard, because he took a few seconds to react.

"I can do much more."

His eyebrow raised a fraction of a centimeter, but it was enough to spur her on. She felt liberated. It felt exciting, like nothing ever before.

A good hour later, and they were both worn down.

"Why do you hate me?" she blurted out. Her mouth seemed to work on its own. She slapped a hand softly over her mouth, wishing it back. That was a stupid way to ask.

"What?" He seemed surprised.

"What do you mean, 'what'? You know exactly what I'm talking about." She was not in control today, doing so many uncharacteristic things.

"I treat you fairly."

"Do you know how many times I've passed out from these 'training sessions'? How many bruises and broken bones I've received?" Her voice was very soft, with just the tiniest hint of accusation and sadness.

His eyes were filled with guilt. She was taken aback.

"Being the Hyuuga heir—or heiress, means that you will one day take over the entire clan. It's hard work, and many times you might just feel like nothing is right.

"I wanted you to be able to be a great leader. A strong leader. I know you have the potential. I train you like my father trained me. I guess I just didn't realize that it doesn't work for someone like you.

"And through all that, I think I forgot the most important thing. I should have been a father to you. Instead, I just treated you like a bad student."

She was silent. She had never heard this side of him, the guilty and worn down side.

"You remind me so much of your mother. Sometimes it's painful, I'll admit. I miss her so much."

She knew it was an arranged marriage between them, and yet they both fell deeply in love. And that the death of her mother was probably the worst thing that ever happened to him.

"I just wanted you to be the best that you could.

"I probably ruined Hanabi, too." He turned towards her. "Could you spend time with her? Fix the mistakes I've dumped on her?"

Her tear-filled eyes said it all. She was sorry for him.

She gave a small nod, and all the tension fell away from his body.

She could see him as he really was. Exhausted, strained, guilty. Filled with sadness and hurt, both over his dead wife and over his children that he was never able to connect to.

She never imagined him to be like this. All she had ever seen was the cold, unemotional side of him. She remembered when she was young, wondering whether the man before her was actually human.

Now she knew.

And she felt better.

But she couldn't stay. Something in her told her that she needed to start afresh.

"I'm leaving."

She was gone before he could react. He sighed. Seemed he had made a bigger mess than he had thought.

She packed her clothes, sealing everything into scrolls. She smiled, thankful that there was this type of packing. What would she do if she had been a regular civilian? Cramming everything in a huge clunky bag. She estimated that she would probably have had at least four bags if she did that, but with the scrolls—just four neat scrolls. How convenient.

She carefully placed them at the bottom of her small bag that she had chosen.

She gazed around the room. It was empty of all her clothes, but her other belongings were still scattered around.

She didn't have many other things. Just a few pictures on her desk.

She picked up the two pictures in her room. One was of her mother and her, when she was very little. When her mother was still alive.

The other was more cheery; her team picture. It brought a smile to her face. She placed them carefully on top of the scrolls in her bag.

Underneath her bed, she came across an old-looking box—it was covered with a layer of dust. She wiped it off curiously. She didn't remember this box.

Inside were a few scrolls, tied neatly with a lavender ribbon. Also, there was a box that looked suspiciously like it held a piece of jewelry.

She opened the scroll marked '1' first. There was neat calligraphy writing in it. With each word she felt a lump forming in her throat, and her eyes threatened to cry.

At the very end, she nearly broke down.

_I love you, Hinata. _

_I'm sorry._

_Love, Mom_

She was apologizing for not being there.

Her hands fumbled with the jewelry box. In it, she found a necklace—the same one her mom was wearing in the picture.

'_She gave me her favorite necklace_.' She choked back a sob.

She exited her room after splashing her face with cool water to calm down, only to run into Neji.

"Hinata? Are you okay?" He saw into her room. "Where are your clothes? Did uncle _kick you out_?" He whispered the last part. He was cold, but not that cold. And he wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he actually did really care about his cousin.

"No. I'm moving out."

He stood there in stunned silence. She hugged him gently.

"Thanks for everything," she whispered.

She walked out to the front door where she found her father and Hanabi waiting.

"Are you really leaving?" Hanabi asked sadly. She was shocked. She really didn't expect her to care. She actually thought that Hanabi would be a bit excited. She smiled, seeing the concern in her eyes.

"Yes, Hanabi. But I'll visit sometime."

She gave Hanabi a hug, like she did to Neji.

She stepped outside. The cool air felt refreshing.

Then she turned around to add something.

"I love you, otou-san. I'm sorry." Only he would understand the apology.

She turned away. She didn't see the tears in his eyes as she walked away from her only home.

That was the first time she had said that in years. He felt a strong sense of relief.

* * *

Tell my mother, tell my father  
I've done the best I can  
To make them realize  
This is my life  
I hope they understand  
I'm not angry, I'm just saying...  
Sometimes goodbye  
Is a second chance

"Second Chance" by Shinedown


	4. Angst, Hurt, Comfort

**About the last chapter: **Uh…I have low patience so by the middle I just wanted to get it over with. Sorry if I ruined it.

Finally was inspired by something that would also lead to a bit of SasuHina.

**Bear with me** for this chapter; I forgot how exactly the scene played. **After the famous quote** said by Itachi…No, it is not a typo/mistake/etc. I did that on purpose. Basically, it (nightmare) was repeating itself. Which also explains his OoC because it was a bit traumatic. Kind of. I don't know. Go with it.

**Note:** If the quote is wrong, blame Naruto. wikia. com for that mistake. That's where I got it from. 'He' is Sasuke and 'she' is Hinata, of course.

* * *

Chapter 4 —Angst/Hurt/Comfort—

"_If you want to get out alive (ooh-oh),_

_Run for your life._

_If you want to get out alive (ooh-oh),_

_Run for your life…"_

"_Get Out Alive" by Three Days Grace_

* * *

_He was running through the Uchiha clan grounds. It was eerily quiet; he couldn't find a single person around._

_The clouds were blocking parts of the moon, casting only bits of light on certain areas. The clouds were constantly moving, making the light shift continuously, shining on one area for a few seconds before moving on to the next._

_His breath was coming out in harsh pants, and he finally neared their neighbor, the old lady's house. Only to find her and her husband dead in a pool of their own blood._

_Tears filled his eyes, but he shook them away quickly and took off towards his own house._

"_Otou-san, Kaa-san!" he cried out desperately, flinging open every door he came across, only to find them empty._

_He approached the last door. He gulped, reaching hesitantly for the handle. It clicked and swung open creakily._

_His mother and father were dead, slumped on the ground. Someone was standing in the furthest area of the room, hidden nicely by the shadows._

_But he saw them; the flash of his eyes, the eyes that belonged to his brother Itachi._

_He shook his head in denial; there was no way his big brother would do that._

"_Itachi?" His voice was hopeful. "What h-happened? Who did it?" Itachi merely smirked._

"_Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me. And yet survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life."_

_He was running through the Uchiha clan grounds, and it felt like a déjà vu, in a bad way. His skin prickled, and he let out a horrified scream from—_

_

* * *

_

"Sasuke! Sasuke, wake up!"

He leapt in surprise, his hand clutching a kunai pointed directly at his older brother. His pupils were dilating with fear.

"You did it. You did it…You did it…" he repeated it over and over, his hand not daring to loosen around his weapon.

"Sasuke calm down! What did I do?"

"You killed them!" he practically whimpered.

"Them?" Rarely had he heard Itachi sound confused, but just then Itachi seemed as if he was utterly lost.

"Otou-san and Kaa-san…you killed them with your sword!"

"Sasuke—Sasu—Sasuke!" He was still nervous, shifting nervously while watching Itachi with suspicious eyes. Itachi sighed, and jabbed him harshly on his forehead.

He jerked to his senses, and rubbed at his forehead irritably.

"It was a nightmare," Itachi said. "Maybe you should take a walk; calm yourself down."

* * *

He had refused, but Itachi had shoved him out the door and locked it. He was aware of the fact that sneaking back in would only result in being kicked out again. So he went for the walk, threading through the trails in the training ground forest.

Someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and he spun around quickly, poised to strike.

"Uchiha-san!" she cried out, startled. Then she noticed his shifty motions. "Ano…I-is there something wrong?"

He watched her warily. She was fidgeting, her hand twirling with her coat's zipper.

"I-it helps to talk about it if i-it bothers you…"

She really had no business in knowing but…he felt compelled to tell her.

"I…had a nightmare," he said stiffly. A soft noise sounded from the back of her throat, a sound of sort of understanding pity. She seemed to be fighting against herself mentally.

"W-what was it about?" she finally asked. He was silent. He didn't know if he should tell.

"I dreamt that Itachi killed my parents." This time he did hear it more clearly, sort of an 'ohh' sound.

"Is that e-everything that happened?" He frowned. Since he had already shared so much, he forced himself to describe the rest.

She shut her eyes slightly.

"M-maybe you miss your parents and y-you're scared you'll also lose Itachi?" she suggested softly.

He merely grunted.

They walked for a while, and she talked a bit about random things she could think of.

He didn't feel like talking, so he just listened. Her voice was a bit comforting.

It soon grew quiet. They were both naturally inclined to silence, preferring to stay quiet instead of talking.

But it was sort of a comfortable silence.

They came to a clearing, and he turned towards her.

He felt a small spark of something running through his veins. Something about them being together just seemed right.

He opened his mouth. Though he almost never showed it, he did in fact have manners. Inviting her for dinner or for some little—outing (his mind said 'date' but he refused to listen) was the least he could do after she so willingly listened.

The moment was perfect.

"Sasuke-kun!"

And then it was ruined.

He turned to see Sakura running towards him. He didn't hate her, per se, he just found her to be tolerable. But she had just ruined everything. He turned back to her, only to find that she was gone.

"Sasuke-kun, will you go on a date with me?"

"Hn," he replied, irritated.

* * *

I told you these chapters don't connect; they just fit together slightly to where it doesn't work as just a oneshot. They seem **OoC** to you? I tried to keep them as best as I could while keeping in mind that he had a horrible nightmare, which could in fact mess with a person's head for a bit.

**Sakura Fans:** Sorry for always using her as sort of the 'bad guy', I promise I'll make a chapter showing off a good side of hers.

Thanks for reading this short chapter and I really think you should listen to the song. I love it! Oh, and it sounds like (ooh-oh) to me, but the lyrics say (hold on) for some reason.


	5. Drama, Friendship

Sorry it took so long. I had a hard time concentrating enough to write (I love writing, it's just that I can't focus long enough to finish). But I got it, so enjoy! 'He' is Sasuke only and 'she' is Hinata only.

* * *

Chapter 5 —Drama/Friendship—

_Sometimes it's a form of love just to talk to somebody that you have nothing in common with and still be fascinated by their presence._ —_David Byrne_

* * *

It was a comfortable silence between them, not awkward like it sometimes was with other people. She found that just listening to him talk made her feel relaxed and slightly happier, enough to forget about her own family problems.

The strangest thing was that if it had been someone else—sure, she would have still listened, but she wouldn't really do it out of interest, just out of politeness and worry.

She was in love with the time they spent together.

She wouldn't say she really loved him. No, that would be too quick and unreal. But she did really enjoy the times she talked with him, even though she would act really strange.

She could be different around him. And it felt wonderful, not caring about being nice or sweet, just doing what she felt.

It was like the one chance she could have to let out all her inner frustrations and pent up anger. Well, besides training, anyways.

They reached a clearing. This was a place she visited often.

There was a slightly worn path down the middle in a crooked line. Flowers blossomed around the edges, only one or two daring to grow near the center of the area.

It gave her a sense of peace. Being with nature was said to be a way of relaxing and reducing stress.

He was walking slightly in front of her and he suddenly stopped and turned. He opened his mouth to say something. She felt a warm tingling, like something nice was to be expected.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Her skin prickled at the name. It was clearly Sakura's voice that screamed it. He turned to see who it was, and she fled. If Sakura found out that they were 'together' and 'alone' at that, Sakura would kill her in the most brutal way the pink-haired girl could think of. (Which, really, probably wasn't all that brutal. But she still didn't want to die.)

As she slowed down, she felt a bit sad. Sakura was probably asking him for a date, like usual. And this time might be the time that he agreed. After all, she was one of the prettiest kunoichi in Konoha.

She paused. Since when did she care if he accepted a date? He could go out with anyone he wanted; it wasn't really any of her business.

She didn't want to be the one stuck as his 'wife', which was more of just bearing children than actually being husband and wife.

She would find her own husband in her own time, one that would actually love and cherish her.

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. Why was she thinking about marriage already? More importantly, why was she thinking about him? He could use both Sakura and Ino for all she cared, she decided.

She glanced at the sun, which was her way of telling time. She panicked. She was supposed to meet Team Seven an hour ago, but she had just been so caught up in their conversation.

Which she couldn't use as an excuse for being late, because Kiba already hated him enough (though she couldn't figure out why).

* * *

"Morning, Shino," Kiba yelled excitedly. Any day with Hinata made him happy. He had coped with the rejection and eventually realized that they would never be more than friends, but being with her still made him happy.

Shino just stood there, giving him just the smallest of nods.

"Morning, Hina—" he looked around in confusion. "Where's Hinata?"

She was usually the first one there, they all knew. She hated having people wait for her. She considered it impolite of herself to be later than any of them.

"Still waiting for her, Kiba," Shino muttered with just a tiny hint of worry.

"What! We have to go look for her! She could be in trouble!" he yelled frantically. He was usually a bit hyper and overdramatic in the morning.

"She'll probably come along later. Maybe the Hyuuga council just had to speak with her."

"Oh, right. Well do we just go on or wait for her here?" Shino rolled his eyes (though it wasn't visible behind the sunglasses).

"If we go off how will she find us?"

They heard someone running, and turned to see Hinata.

* * *

She ran to their meeting place. She was so embarrassed. They were probably waiting for her already. She had kept them waiting. Her face flushed slightly. Then she saw them and slowed down a bit. No use arriving, panting and sweating when they could already see her and know she was almost there.

"Hinata!" Kiba called. She frowned with a sudden flash of frustration and embarrassment. Couldn't he see that she was already arriving and that she had seen them? But she shoved the feeling away quickly. Kiba was her friend and there was no reason for her to feel ashamed.

"Morning, Kiba," she responded quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. He gave her an almost wolfish looking grin. "Morning, Shino." Shino responded with his usual nod.

"You two want to train first or eat first?" he asked.

"Train," she and Kiba said at the same time, although one much louder than the other.

"So…" Kiba said as they were walking. "Why were you late, Hinata? You're never late."

She stiffened slightly. There was no way she wanted to tell Kiba that she was with _him_. Kiba would be angry.

"I was…meeting with the Hyuuga elders. They weren't that happy with me moving out like that." The lie rolled right off her tongue without a second thought. She felt horrible, but seeing that Kiba just nodded and accepted it gave her a rush of excitement, as well as relief.

Something caught her attention in the corner of her eye. He was standing there with Sakura clutching his arm talking at an incredible speed. He would nod once in a while but otherwise seemingly ignore the girl.

Their eyes met, and she could feel that he was questioning her. Probably wondering why she just ran off like that. She tilted her head ever so slightly to motion towards her old teammates. He nodded just slightly, and she broke off their eye contact.

It was weird; there really was no reason for her to tell him that. And there really was no reason for her to feel annoyed at Kiba or to lie to him, either.

She settled on the fact that he made her do things she normally wouldn't do. But did she like being different, or would she rather stay how she had always been?

She instinctively turned her head back to him, feeling a gaze. Sakura was glaring at her, her bright green eyes narrowed angrily. She shivered, wondering what she had done wrong. It wasn't like they were dating, just talking.

* * *

I think the middle of the chapter was a bit off...eh.

Sorry for shortness…But I wanted to end it on sort of Sakura because I'm thinking of doing a chapter for Sakura next.

Review?


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